Brew Review – Jazzy Gotama by Cigar City Brewing @cigarcitybeer

At this point, I consider reviewing anything from Cigar City as sort of an obligation, a place that everyone immediately recognizes instead of some of the small, out of the way, mom and pop breweries that I tend to really enjoy.

Yes, they make good beer. And their relative proximity to Tampa Int’l is their way of saying “You know you’re coming here, right?” Of course, I do. The latest beer I got from this Spruce St. staple was Jazzy Gotama (Brown Ale, 4.8% ABV, 25 IBU).

Now here’s the interesting thing about this beer, or at least the name. Gotama, better known as Gautama, Siddhartha Gautama, or commonly Gautama Buddha was the ame of the sage and eventual founder of Buddhism. This man is easily recognized by the many buddha statues found globally.

Cigar Cityeven mentions they brewed this English-Style brown ale as a tribute to their “favorite off-the-wall deity.” Now as we think about buddhas and being jazzy or off the wall, maybe they could also be … funky?

I’m not going to say this is a tribute beer. I am going to say, however, that this is a delicious beer. Cigar City is one of the few big Florida breweries that make an English Brown on a regular basis and make it well, focusing on rich malty flavors that accentuate huge notes of bread and brown sugar, while keeping alpha acids low and hop on the light earthy side.

To this, Cigar City added roasted coffee and the ever so subtle hint of maple syrup. Please let this warn you, this is not a thick, sweet beer. Instead, the coffee undercurrent takes over just a touch, bringing those roasty qualities to the beer, and letting the maple give it an ever so subtle twist.

As much as I may complain about it, the regular pilgrimage to CCB’S is worth it, especially if beers like this are on tap. But now it looks like I have some investigative work to do.